Plaiting a horse's tail makes a thick, un-pulled tail look tidy and attractive. Many people plait their horse's mane and tail to provide the finishing touch before a competition, although it is not required. All tail plaits begin the same way, but there are a variety of stylish ways to complete it.

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Steps

Part 1 of 3: Preparing to Plait

1

Find out the fads for competitions (optional). There are no official plaiting requirements for any type of horse competition, and technically you cannot lose points even if you show up without any braid at all.[1] Still, in some event types, plaiting is so common that you may not want to risk making a bad impression on the judges.

Dressage, show hunting, and eventing (horse trials) competitors sometimes plait the tail, but be aware that plaiting the tail can cause the horse to carry itself in a different position.

In show jumping, or in any event with mountain and moorland pony breeds, plaiting has fallen out of popularity.

Tie your horse up. This will ensure that the horse remains still while you plait his tail. Provide him with a haynet so that he doesn't get bored, unless your horse tends to move around while eating.

3

Protect yourself from being kicked. You must stand directly behind the horse to plait its tail, which can be very dangerous. If the horse is agitated, or known to kick without provocation, use one of these methods to protect yourself:

For a large horse, you can bring the tail over the stable door and stand with the door between you and the horse.

For a smaller horse or pony, open the door and lodge a piece of plywood in the doorway, then bring the tail over.

4

Brush the tail and check its thickness. Brush the tail with a soft body brush or a tail brush. Hold the whole tail in one hand and gradually push the brush through small sections of tail at a time. If necessary, use these techniques to tidy the tail:

Comb the top of the tail and sides with a mane comb.

If the tail is thin, or the hairs on the side are too short to plait, use the pulling technique described here instead to make the tail look presentable without a plait.

5

Wet the tail with water, egg white, or hair gel for horses. Dip a brush or sponge in water and brush the tail with it to dampen it. Alternatively, dip your fingers in egg white or a hair gel for horses, and pull your fingers through the top and sides of the tail. One of these products will make the tail shinier and less slippery.

Stand on a step stool (optional). Even if your horse is not particularly tall, you may find it easier to plait with your hands at a lower position. Plaiting from above will also prevent you from pulling downward while plaiting, which can cause the plait to come loose or look untidy.[3]

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Part 2 of 3: Plaiting a Horse's Tail

1

Divide the tail into three sections. Pick up three small bunches of hair, as close to the top as possible. Hold the left and right sections in your hands, leaving the middle dangling.

Don't use every strand of hair in these sections. Even a few strands in each will work.

The middle section may have very short hairs along the tailbone (dock). You may need to dampen the hairs again to get them to cooperate.[4]

2

Begin a French braid. Cross the left section over the middle section, so it's now in the center. Next, cross the right section over the "left" section that is now in the center. You'll end up with three strands to the left, middle, and right again, similar to how you started.

3

Pick up more strands as you continue the plait. Repeat the step above, but this time pick up a few long strands of hair from the left side of the tail and add it to the bunch of hair that's now on the left. Before you cross over from the right, pick up a few strands from the right and add it to the right section.

Press inward each time you cross, to keep the plait tight over the dock.[5]

4

Repeat for most of the top portion of the tail. Repeat this plaiting method until you're about three quarters of the way down the dock, or shorter hairs along the tailbone and top of the tail. The plaiting should be sitting tight enough to hold without pulling on the hairs. Keep the plait in the centre, with the extra strands you're taking forming a "ribbed" appearance to either side.[6]

The key to a successful plait is maintaining even pressure the whole time. Don't pull hard downward, but keep a steady, small tug of pressure along the direction the tail flows.

Give the dock (tailbone) a quick squeeze to feel where you are.

5

Finish with a simple plait down the center. Stop taking new hair from the tail at this point. Finish the plait conventionally, without taking in new hairs from the sides. The rest of the skirt, or long tail hairs, will hang freely beneath the plait, although the "ribs" of the upper plait will help prevent loose hairs.

Optionally, if you want more options for finishing the plait, fold a long strand of yarn in half, and put the center in the middle of the plait, several crossovers before the end. Incorporate one side of the yarn in one bunch of hair, and the other side in the opposite bunch.

6

Secure the end with an elastic band or yarn. Loop the tip of the plait up and secure with an elastic band. Alternatively, if you used yarn as described in the last step, you can use the yarn to tie the end of the plait.[7]

The current fashion in competitions is to use a band or yarn that matches the horse's tail colour as closely as possible. For even less visibility, you can even use a needle and strong thread to sew the end of the braid together.

7

Choose a style to complete your plait. There are several ways you can complete the plait, described in the next section. You may pick any one of them, although the loop is most common.

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Part 3 of 3: Completing the Plait

1

Finish with a loop and elastic band. To complete the most popular style of tail plait, pick up the tip of the plait and pull it under the dock plait to form a discreet loop. Secure it with an elastic band.

2

Finish with a loop if you used yarn. If you used yarn, you can instead grab the dangling ends of yarn with a latch hook or our fingers, and use the yarn to pull the tip of the plait under itself and snug up against the upper dock plait. Pull the yarn ends through the "ribs" of the upper plait and tie the two plaits together.

3

Sew it into a single thick plait instead. Alternately, you can sew the loop into a single plait, which has a different appearance and may be sturdier if you use strong thread. Follow these steps:

Sew through the tip of the plait first. Wind the thread round twice to secure it.

Fold the plait under itself as above. Stitch through the top of the loop.

Stitch down the centre of both plaits. This will make it into one plait. Take care not to poke the tailbone.

Secure the end by looping the thread through one of the stitches.

Cut the excess cotton with scissors.

4

Pinwheel the plait. Leave the braid unfinished (or undo the last few crossovers), then roll the plait over itself tightly up the length of the tail, forming a flat circle of plaited hair. Keep the two unused lengths of hair separate, dangling on either side of the wheel. You can secure the wheel to any point on the plait, by crossing the lengths of hair between the wheel and the plait, then looping and gently tying them around the plait.[8]

A latch hook makes securing the pinwheel easier. Sewing it in place is another option.

5

Protect the plait. Whichever method you use to finish the plait, the horse will usually itch within a few hours and try to rub it off, sometimes tearing the hair. Leaving the plait in overnight is not recommended for this reason, but you can cover it with a tail bandage, long sock, or stocking to keep it tidy while traveling or waiting for a competition to start.

A tail bandage is better, since you can gently unwrap the plait. If using a sock, widen it at the neck and pull it off slowly to avoid disturbing the plait.

Hair gel or hairspray made for horses will keep the plait stiff and keep loose hairs down.

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